Bowling Industry News

Storm staffer Tom Daugherty of Wesley Chapel, Fla., defeated Jason Sterner of McDonough, Ga., 219-209, to win the Professional Bowlers Association South Region's Regional Players Invitational title Sunday, concluding two days of live coverage from Break Point Alley on PBA's Xtra Frame online bowling channel.

Daugherty, who earned $6,000, a paid entry into the PBA World Series of Bowling V in Las Vegas in late October and a berth in a new PBA RPI Finals which will be televised on ESPN.

Daugherty won his only PBA Tour title in the Bowlers Journal Scorpion Championship during the 2012 WSOB, ironically defeating Sterner, 199-177, in winning the first of his three matches en route to the Scorpion title. Sterner earned $3,500 as the RPI runner-up.

"The best part about it was this event was on a grueling lane condition and I had to bowl against the best 48 guys in our region, so it was definitely a good win," Daugherty said.

"(The new RPI program) gives players a reason to bowl a couple more regionals," he added. "Any time you've got a $6,000 prize and other benefits, it's really an incentive. I've had this tournament circled on my calendar for a long time. I bowled a couple of additional regionals I probably wouldn't have bowled because of it.

"I bowled in the World Series last year and come away with my first (PBA Tour) title," Daugherty continued, "so I'm looking forward to going back."

The South Region RPI was the first in a series of six PBA Regional championship events. The PBA East, Central, Midwest, Southwest and combined West/Northwest Regions also will host RPI events in the coming weeks.

Each RPI winner will advance to the PBA RPI Finals that will be taped for delayed airing on ESPN as part of the World Series of Bowling V at South Point Casino, Hotel and Bowling Center, Oct. 26-Nov. 3.

Each RPI is open to 48 players who have qualified through a season-long points competition in their respective regions, and each RPI will be covered live from start to finish on PBA's Xtra Frame.

Sterner started the tournament with a 300 game and had a chance to win it by throwing three strikes in the 10th frame of the title match, but only threw the first strike.

Sterner defeated Scott Newell of Deland, Fla., 185-172, and Daugherty won over Randy Weiss of Columbia, S.C., 229-217, in the semifinal round to set up the championship match.

The next RPI will be the PBA Midwest Regional Players Invitational at Super Bowl in Peru, Ill., Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The PBA South Region's next tournament will be Fayetteville, N.C., Aug. 23-25. - See more at: http://www.bowlingdigital.com/bowl/node/12386#sthash.zqapraf5.dpuf